Uncle Fletcher Strikes Back
by Not A Droid
Summary: The next in my occasional series the began with "Teddy Roosevelt" This is the companion to "Alex" and follow up to "Uncle Fletcher". Fletcher Seibold wasn't going to just Emily slip through his nephews fingers. But then he wasn't ready for his nephew's surprise.


_Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or any character associated with it, no copyright infringement is intended._

_This is another in my occasional series that began with "Teddy Roosevelt" _

* * *

One week.

That's how long Spencer Reid was in London with Emily. That's how long it took for her to get used having him around - in her apartment, in her bed and in her life.

Now he was back in the US, and she was here. Alone.

Being alone sucked. She remembered that in Christopher Marlowe's version of Faust, Mephistopheles said everywhere that wasn't heaven was hell. Spencer being around made her apartment; with him gone ...

A week after he went home, she got a surprising phone call from James Seibold, the man she broke up with to be with Spencer.

"Emily, I was wondering..."

"Yes."

"Well, Uncle Fletcher is having a dinner party, and I was just wondering..."

"James, I'm not going to be your plus one. I'm sorry if the break up seemed to come out of nowhere but"

"Do you remember my friend, Ben?"

"Yes?"

"Could you bring him? I mean, I want him to come and I thought maybe if you brought him."

"Ben?"

"You don't know how much it would mean to me."

Emily wasn't certain why she said yes. Maybe it was being alone. Maybe there was a peculiar tone in James voice, a strange mixture of urgency and fear. Mostly, though, Emily was perplexed why he would want her to come with Ben.

The night of the party, Emily rang the bell at Ben's flat. The door opened, and there was Ben. There was something about Ben that reminded Emily of Derek Morgan. Like Derek, Ben was attractive, athletic, and black. The similarities ended there. Ben was athletic, but his built was leaner and more angled than Derek. Derek like to dress casual, but Ben favored more formal attire. Derek always had an easy smile, while Ben always looked serious.

Tonight, Ben looked at her with something like contempt.

"I'm not going."

Ben was wearing a paisley bathrobe with matching pajamas.

"Why not?"

"I have no interest to watch everyone flatter that bastard, Fletcher. James just wants you there to make everyone think you might get back together with him. I'm not going for that."

He tried to close the door, but Emily caught it with her hand. She moved it open enough to step inside, then she closed the door behind her.

"I didn't invite you in," he said.

"I know." She recognized the look on his face. She and Ben and never gotten along, and for the first time she had an inkling why. A lot of little things were beginning to make sense.

"James wants you to be there."

"He wants you there. Because his Uncle Fletcher likes you."

"Fletcher likes the family I come from. He likes I com from money. He doesn't know about you, does he? That you and James are more than just friends? I didn't know until just now."

Ben's look from angry to surprised. "You didn't? But he said...you didn't mind. About not being intimate. That you"

Emily smiled. "He never made much effort to much in that department. He was decent company, and that's what I wanted. Mostly, because I gave up on anything more. Then Spencer came."

"James said he never heard you talk about him before."

"He was never more than a friend before. Then he came to see me, because he thought I was going to marry James. Then he told me he loved me. Did you ever have a moment with someone, when they made you feel right - for the first time in your life, you felt right?"

"James."

"Then, what are you sitting here in a bathrobe. Why aren't you with James? Why aren't you forcing him to acknowledge you?"

"He won't. His Uncle Fletcher"

"Rules that family with an iron fist. Sometimes people need help standing up to a bully. Is it just possible, that James wants you there tonight just for that purpose?"

"Do you think so?"

"I think there is only one way to find out."

* * *

A few hours later, Fletcher Seibold got his nephew alone. The dinner party was in full swing, and Fletcher knew it was the right time to put his plan into action. First, he had to get James to do his part.

"James, I think it's time for you to make your move."

"What move is that, Uncle?"

"Emily. It was clever of you get her here. Now you just need to get her alone and convince her she's made a mistake."

"It's over, Uncle. She's made up her mind."

"So change it back. You're not without charm, you can convince her."

"Uncle, she's engaged."

"Is she? I don't see a ring on her finger."

"She has a fiance."

"That's a temporary arrangement. I've got people checking him out. Soon, I'll knew every skeleton in his closet."

"Has it occurred to you that you're the only one who wants us to be together?"

"I'm used to be the only one with the right answer."

"Not this time."

"James, listen to me"

"No. Not this time. Uncle, I have to tell you something. Emily and I were never going to work out long term. No woman ever would."

"You can't sew your wild oats forever."

"Uncle, I'm gay."

"What?"

"You heard me. I'm gay."

"What...What about all those women?"

"There were always so drunk or high, they couldn't remember what we did."

"What are you saying?"

"You know my friend Ben?"

"The one who came with Emily?"

"I've been with for 3 years. I love him. I'm going to go out there and start introducing him as my boyfriend."

"Don't you dare."

"I saw Emily dancing with that fellow...what's his name? Spencer. She looked happy. I've never seen here so happy. Do you know why? Because she loves him. She never loved me. That's fine, because I love Ben."

"Listen to me, very closely. If you go out there and say anything like that, I will disown you."

"Promise?"

"Do understand, there will be no more money. You will be struggling to feed yourself. You don't stand a chance on your own."

"Maybe. But living in fear of you hasn't made me happy. I'm willing to give being free of you a chance."

James left the room. Fletcher didn't know what to do. A few minutes later, Emily Prentiss entered the room.

"Did you know?" Fletcher said.

"Know what?"

"Don't play games. Did you know about James? That he ..."

"You know, I really didn't before tonight. Not until I picked Ben and he looked at me like I was the other woman. Then I knew. James was always going off to do things with Ben. He didn't mind that I didn't want to be very intimate. He was good company, and I seemed to keep you from pestering him."

"I can't believe ..."

"Fletcher, it's the 21st century. In case you weren't paying attention, same-sex marriage just became legal here. And the heart wants what the heart wants. It seems to me you have two choices. You can either disown him and be known as a gigantic homophobe, which I don't think will be good for business. Or you can go out there and play the supportive and loving Uncle."

"I can't believe I didn't know."

"Maybe you should listening to what your family wants more and not tell them to do so much. You would be amazed what you find out."

She left alone in the room to contemplate it.

Back in the party, she saw James and Ben walking around the room, both of them beaming. She had never seen James so happy. It was the first time he seemed completely comfortable in his skin.

She wished Spencer was here with her to see it.

Someday, they would have to figure out how to be in the same country on a continual basis.

Someday.


End file.
